1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to GaAs MESFET amplifiers and, more particularly, to a MESFET amplifier having a low noise active load.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) design, it has been the general practice to employ GaAs MESFET gain stages to produce low noise voltage amplifiers and transimpedance amplifiers. One of the most critical problems confronting designers of MESFET gain stages has been achieving the highest voltage gain with minimum supply voltage, noise and power.
Examples of prior art MMIC amplifiers having FET gain stages may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,771,247 and 4,496,909. FIGS. 1-3 of the present description shows the basic elements of typical gain stages found in the prior art. Although there has been a long recognized need for MMIC low noise amplifiers capable of having substantial gain with minimum supply voltage and power consumption, no practical solution has heretofore been available. The present invention fulfills this need.